Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: Grammys open with prayer for Whitney Houston

Stomp this! No. 5 Florida crushes No. 8 Georgia

Tebow accounts for 5 TDs as revenge-minded Gators party on to 49-10 win

Georgia Bulldogs v Florida GatorsGeorgia Bulldogs v Florida GatorsGetty Images
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow celebrates with Gators fans after the victory over Georgia on Saturday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Tim Tebow walked out of the locker room wearing a gray, protective boot on his left foot.

The Florida quarterback said he sprained his ankle on a 4-yard run in the third quarter. He just as easily could have told everyone he hurt it kicking around Georgia.

After all, this was a Gator Stomp.

Tebow accounted for five touchdowns, Percy Harvin scored twice and the fifth-ranked, revenge-minded Gators thumped the Bulldogs 49-10 Saturday in one of the most anticipated matchups in the history of this storied rivalry.

“It doesn’t get any sweeter than this,” Tebow said. “We didn’t have to talk about it. We just had to go out there and show that we’re a different team and prove that we worked extremely hard. We didn’t want that to happen again to us.”

The Gators (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) shut down Knowshon Moreno, took advantage of Georgia’s numerous mistakes and avenged last year’s 42-30 loss in which the brazen Bulldogs used a full-team, end-zone celebration to energize them.

Florida’s response?

How about the worst loss in Georgia coach Mark Richt’s career, which left the preseason No. 1 staring at being No. 2 in the SEC East for the second straight season.

Florida coach Urban Meyer even called two timeouts in the final 44 seconds — surely to prolong Georgia’s misery. Meyer said he did it because running back Emmanuel Moody deserved a couple extra carries, but no one inside Jacksonville Municipal Stadium believed that.

“Enjoy the moment, enjoy the game,” Tebow said. “We didn’t do anything wrong. We were just playing the game.”

The seemingly cold and quick handshake between Meyer and Richt might have told a different story, but the coaches denied any animosity.

“To me, the rules say you’ve got three timeouts per half,” Richt said. “They can use as many as they want. It’s in the rules. They used their timeouts, and they have a right to do that.”

The Gators won for the 16th time in the last 19 meetings, and this one was one of the most lopsided of all. Florida’s largest margin of victory in the series was a 47-7 win in 1996.

“It’s a weight off our shoulders,” safety Ahmad Black said. “All we heard about was Georgia, Georgia, Georgia.”

Indeed. During each of Florida’s conditioning workouts during the offseason, players had to complete 42 reps at each station in the weight room — one for every point the Bulldogs scored against them last season — and 188 push-ups, sit-ups and crunches — one for every yard Moreno gained.

“All because of this game right here,” Black said.

Plus, strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti put a picture in each player’s locker of Georgia’s massive celebration. The photo next year might be of Brandon Spikes’ bone-crushing hit on Moreno early; it certainly set the tone. Or one of all those empty seats left behind by Georgia fans early in the fourth quarter.

Many of the Bulldogs’ faithful headed to the exits before the finish, having seen enough of Tebow, Harvin and Florida’s opportunistic defense.

“We did a lot of shooting ourselves in the foot and did not take advantage of the opportunities we that we needed to,” Richt said.

Tebow ran for a season-high three touchdowns, including two in the decisive third quarter. Florida outscored Georgia (7-2, 4-2) 21-0 in the third, scoring twice after turnovers.

ALSO ON THIS STORY

Joe Haden intercepted Matthew Stafford’s sideline pass to A.J. Green and returned it 88 yards to the 1. Tebow took it in from there, putting the Gators ahead 21-3.

Florida forced a punt, then Tebow threw a 44-yard touchdown strike to Louis Murphy. Moreno, who ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns last year, fumbled on the ensuing possession. Terron Sanders picked it up and returned it to the Georgia 10 — Tebow territory.


advertisement
More news
Image: Boston College v Miami
Getty Images
'I'm taking that program down'

Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.

Image: LSU quarterback Jefferson is stripped of the ball by Alabama's Hightower during the second half of the NCAA BCS National Championship college football game in New Orleans
Reuters
CFT: Jefferson says 'Alabama was more prepared'

CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.

Special feature
FedEx BCS National Championship Game - Oklahoma v Florida
Tebow time
Take a look at Florida's star quarterback on and off the field.

NBCSports.com

Video: Football from NBC Sports
Memphis fulfills BCS dream
Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013.

Slideshow
Image: Joe Paterno
  Joe Paterno (1926-2012)
A look at the career of legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image:
  BCS title game
Check out photos of Crimson Tide's victory over Tigers.

more photos

Slideshow
Image: Kansas State running back Pease is tackled by Arkansas defensive tackle Jones during the Cotton Bowl Classic football game in Arlington, Texas
  Bowled over
Check out the action from the postseason games.

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Kansas vs Oklahoma State
  All-American team
Check out which players were best of the best at each position.

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio - Wisconsin v Oregon
  College cheer
Check out some of the college football cheerleaders from across the country.

NBCSports.com

Special feature
Heisman Hopefuls
Who will win top individual prize this season?

NBCSports.com

Special feature
Mark Sanchez, Donald Butler
Images from Top 25 games
No. 7 USC annihilated Washington, No. 5 Florida blew out Georgia and more from around the country.

NBCSports.com

Special feature
Alabama v Auburn
Best rivalry?
Which is the most intense matchup?

NBCSports.com